How to create an inline Base64 image tag using Notepad++

This how to create an inline Base64 image tag using Notepad++, so can paste the following code into an email. 

  <img src="data:image/jpeg;base64,xxxxxxx" alt="inline of image" />

Here are the steps using Notepad++

1. Open you image in Notepad++, in the example image below, it's called clippy.jpg. 

2. Press CTRL-A to select all the text, this is very important to select all the text.

3. Choose Base64 Encode from Plugins menu to encode selected text to Base64. 

4. Add data:image/jpeg;base64, to the beginning if the text. The mime type must match image extension, for example for .PNG image file the mime type is image/png;base64 (appending ;base64 to indicate encoding). For .gif image/gif, See mime type list here.

5. Press CTRL-A and paste into your image src="PASTE HERE" tag. Make sure you have the double quotes.

5. OR Save this file as "clippy.jpg.b64" for future reference. 

How to Disable PWAs in Microsoft Edge/Chrome browser

How to prevent Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) from installing on your desktop. 

A PWA is a web-based app created using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript that can be installed from a website like a regular desktop application. Once installed, the operating system will create a PWA shortcut and add it to Add or Remove Programs in Windows and under the /Users/<account>/Applications/ folder in macOS.

Recently these have been used to steal credentials and are unsafe. 
New phishing toolkit uses PWAs to steal login credentials (bleepingcomputer.com)

In Edge, type in address bar about://flags, search for 'handling' and change the settings to match image below. All settings that required changes are now all changed to Disabled. 

about://flags, search for 'PWA'

and change the settings to match image below.  All settings that are required to change are now all changed to Disabled. 

about://settings, search for 'application'

Change to off position as in image below.

about://settings, search for 'protocol'

Change to off position as in image below.

about://settings, search for 'apps'

Turn on Block Potentially Unwanted Apps.

Microsoft Defender SmartScreen must be enabled to turn on Block Potentially Unwanted Apps.
But note MDSS, talks to Microsoft servers, and is a privacy leak. 

Service workers are used by PWAs. To list and delete current service workers type in address bar

chrome://inspect/#service-workers

To disable you need an add-on unfortunately.

How to disable Service Workers on Chromium based browsers through uBlock · bonina.eu

Sources: 

PWAs as URL Handlers  |  Capabilities  |  Chrome for Developers

Handle protocols in Progressive Web Apps - Microsoft Edge Developer documentation | Microsoft Learn

OneDrive Direct Download Link Generator for 2024 Breaking API Change

Change for 2024  OneDrive Direct Download Link Generator for 2024 Breaking API Change in some regions the embedded link generated looks like https://1drv.ms/t/c/a/#############, see below for workaround.

Microsoft OneDrive Direct File Download URL Maker

I get asked all the time to by my clients to provide a way to direct download URL to a file and NOT preview the file, especially if the file is large. It's often very confusing for novice users to have preview mode of file, such as PDF files which launch a separate user interface. Moreover, if the file is over 100Mb, the preview appears too slowly for most users, and they'll abandon the file.

So I came up with this mini "App", it takes a OneDrive Share Link and returns the direct download URL for that file.

Enjoy! The original download maker since 2014.

Microsoft OneDrive Direct File Download URL Maker

1. Right-click on item in Onedrive, Choose Embed.

For images, this does NOT work. Embed gives you the direct URL of the image (see below).

2. Click Generate button

3. Get Embed code from Onedrive as in picture above. i.e.: <iframe src="https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=8F99649728BEB2F3&resid=8F99649728BEB2F3%211010&authkey=AFo8ZQ_-qj84DEQ" width="98" height="120" frameborder="0" scrolling="no"></iframe>  see instructions below, if you don't know how. NOTE : For images there an extra step below.

Copy Embed Code (red arrow 3) and paste into text-box below. Click Get embed link button. This will fill 3.1, then click Get Download Link.

This will produce, extract the File Embed Link which looks like: https://onedrive.live.com/embed?cid=8F99649728BEB2F3&resid=8F99649728BEB2F3%211010&authkey=AFo8ZQ_-qj84DEQ and populate the text-box below. To proceed click "Get Download Link" button.

3.1 Alternatively, you can paste (ctrl-v) your OneDrive File Embed Link in text-box below and click "Get Download Link" button below


4. Now, Click on Get Download Link button.

Text-box will be highlighted so you can copy the full link. To copy, right-click and choose  "Copy" or simply (ctrl-c) to copy link. Note: Entire URL is automatic selected for your convenience.

 


Now you can Paste (ctrl-v) and share the OneDrive Direct Download Link in your email ;)

For 2024, a new API breaks the above

Rolled out is some regions, the above method will not work. Here's the work-around.

1. Choose item in OneDrive and click Download button.

1a. In your browser (Edge shown), choose the download link to display downloaded history.

2. Select download item and then right-click on the downloaded item.

3. In Sub-Menu select Copy download link, that will give you a very long link. And that works!

Warning: This link only last 1 hour. Please see comments below.

For Images, you get a direct url

1. Right-click on image and select Embed. The Copy the URL to embed image now gives you direct download URL, but is super long.
   
   So you do not need to do the above! 

You can also remove everything after the ? 

https://wyztwg.by.files.1drv.com/y4mucnXH4ZIfty_kXg9nYvgjHKJMw-XkCLfcBvI7ipNMNidsCjSMyNcw4cFyNlB0WKO9M-VNquASIbFp9DlTJPrjpqk2ex4GmzoVcA_2OOAp1G1ZiGK_U_UPjmfTj_hmtd41HascgLLyjTbEKJlDzXfFhyOXPngJ_ovCRPxL14pt1B0er3HaJvRxjkpru0z85Wiua9JhMP-BvbADeKnISGTqQ?width=1082&height=539&cropmode=none

to

https://wyztwg.by.files.1drv.com/y4mucnXH4ZIfty_kXg9nYvgjHKJMw-XkCLfcBvI7ipNMNidsCjSMyNcw4cFyNlB0WKO9M-VNquASIbFp9DlTJPrjpqk2ex4GmzoVcA_2OOAp1G1ZiGK_U_UPjmfTj_hmtd41HascgLLyjTbEKJlDzXfFhyOXPngJ_ovCRPxL14pt1B0er3HaJvRxjkpru0z85Wiua9JhMP-BvbADeKnISGTqQ

Using OneDrive as a CDN

Bonus : For images, read Using OneDrive as a Content Delivery Network (CDN)  plausibility post.